Sanddune unicorn-plant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sanddune unicorn-plant |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Proboscidea (plant)
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| Species: |
sabulosa
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Proboscidea sabulosa, also called the sanddune unicorn-plant or dune devil's claw, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Martyniaceae family. This plant grows naturally in Chihuahua, Mexico, and in New Mexico and Texas in the United States.
Contents
About the Sanddune Unicorn-Plant
This plant is an annual herb, which means it lives for only one growing season. It can grow up to about 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) tall.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves of the sanddune unicorn-plant are large and oval-shaped. They feel sticky and have a strong scent. The leaves are a dark green color.
The flowers are shaped like tubes. They are cream-colored and have purple spots.
Unique Fruit and Seed Spreading
The plant produces a large, woody fruit. This fruit has two curved parts that look a bit like claws or horns. When the fruit dries out, these curved parts help it stick to the feet of animals. This is how the plant spreads its seeds to new places. Each fruit contains seeds that are about one centimeter (less than half an inch) long.
Where It Grows
The sanddune unicorn-plant likes to grow in sandy areas. You can often find it where Havard oaks grow, and in the Chihuahuan Desert. It grows much better and is more common during years when there is a lot of rain.
This plant often grows near other plants like Abronia fragrans, Artemisia filifolia, Prosopis glandulosa, and Yucca elata.
How People Used It
Long ago, some Native American groups used the sanddune unicorn-plant. They ate the young fruits. They also used the dry, claw-like fruits to make baskets and other woven items.
